The FED Weekly

The conversation focused on major policy updates affecting federal employees and retirees for the week of October 11–17, 2026. One concept discussed was the impact of a 29% staffing cut at HUD, with concerns over lost expertise and service delays. A key theme that emerged was OPM’s launch of a new government-wide recruitment strategy targeting more early-career hires and coordination across agenci...

The conversation focused on key updates for federal employees and retirees during the week of October 4th to 10th, 2026. One concept discussed was the September Thrift Savings Plan returns, with four out of five core funds losing value, but year-to-date results for stock funds remaining positive. The discussion explored OPM’s launch of an AI chatbot for federal workforce data, and the start of one...

The conversation focused on major developments affecting federal employees and retirees during the week of September 27 to October 3, 2026. A key theme that emerged was the significant rise in 2027 Federal Employees Health Benefits (FEHB) premiums, averaging a 10.9% increase for enrollees, with the third consecutive year of double-digit hikes. The discussion explored factors contributing to these...

The conversation focused on major developments affecting federal employees and retirees for the week of September 20-26, 2026. A key theme that emerged was the debate over the proposed 2027 federal pay freeze, with a bipartisan congressional group urging leaders to match law enforcement’s 3.8% raise for all civilian employees and referencing broader recruitment and retention challenges. The discus...

The conversation focused on critical developments impacting federal employees and retirees during the week of September 13-19, 2026. One concept discussed was OPM’s request for information on optimizing FEHB and Postal Service Health Benefits plan offerings, asking whether more, fewer, or different plan options would better balance choice, cost, and simplicity. The discussion explored a GAO report...

The conversation focused on key federal workforce developments for the week of September 6–12, 2026. A key theme that emerged was the Office of Personnel Management’s shift toward long-term structural changes, including a new performance management system, decentralized employee surveys, centralized recruiting, and efforts to modernize federal HR technology. The discussion explored the impact of A...

The conversation focused on major developments affecting federal employees and retirees during the week of August 30th to September 5th, 2026. A key theme was the passage of H.R. 6500, the Continuing Appropriations and Extensions Act 2027, signed on September 2nd, which funds federal agencies through December 11th and avoids an October government shutdown. The discussion covered updated federal wo...

The conversation focused on key federal workforce and retirement updates from August 23-29, 2026. One concept discussed was the impact of deferred resignation programs, revealing that most departing employees under these initiatives were not replaced, and replacements often came in at lower average grades. A key theme was the proposed 2027 civilian federal pay freeze, except for a 3.8% raise for c...

The conversation focused on key updates affecting federal employees and retirees during the week of August 16-22, 2026. One concept discussed was the upcoming requirement for comprehensive verification when adding family members to federal health benefits during the 2027 Open Season, making documentation essential. A key theme was legislative efforts to close a retirement benefit gap for certain C...

The conversation focused on the latest legislative updates affecting federal employees and retirees for the week of August 9-15, 2026. Key topics included proposed lifetime identity theft protection for victims of the 2015 OPM data breach, with pending legislation aiming to extend coverage and insurance beyond the current September 2026 expiration. The discussion covered the release of July’s infl...

The conversation focused on the latest federal policy and legislative developments from August 2-8, 2026, impacting both active and retired federal employees. A key theme was the Senate’s advancement of a bipartisan stopgap spending measure to avert a government shutdown, with important provisions to prevent politicization of federal grants and maintain agency operations through December 11, 2026....

The conversation focused on major news impacting federal employees and retirees for the week of July 26 to August 1, 2026. One concept discussed was the importance of long-term investing in the Thrift Savings Plan, highlighting data showing that consistent contributions lead to significantly higher retirement account balances over multi-decade careers. A key theme that emerged was the impact of re...

The conversation focused on key legislative and regulatory updates affecting federal employees and retirees for the week of July 19–25, 2026. Major developments included the unanimous House passage of H.R. 8823, which strengthens anti-fraud provisions in the Federal Employees Compensation Act, and new bipartisan efforts to improve indoor air quality in federal buildings in response to environmenta...

The conversation focused on the latest developments affecting federal employees and retirees during the week of July 12-18, 2026. A key theme that emerged was the introduction of the bipartisan PROMISE Act, designed to force Congress to address long-term Social Security solvency, with the 2026 Trustees Report forecasting potential benefit cuts by late 2032 if lawmakers fail to act. Several points...

The conversation focused on major changes affecting federal employees and retirees for the week of July 5–11, 2026. One concept discussed was the Office of Personnel Management’s shift to digital-only retirement processing, which has resulted in faster claim handling but requires meticulous form completion and a six-month cash reserve. A key theme that emerged was cost pressures, with significant...

We recap key developments for federal employees and retirees for the week of June 28 to July 4, 2026. Major regulatory changes include a new OPM rule implementing stricter verification for family member eligibility in health benefits, projected to save millions by curbing improper payments. President Trump signed an executive order mandating the shift to post-quantum cryptography for federal syste...

The conversation focused on key federal workforce developments for the week of June 21–27, 2026. One concept discussed was the Office of Personnel Management’s (OPM) expanded health data collection, which raised significant privacy concerns from lawmakers and advocacy groups due to potential HIPAA risks and OPM’s history of data breaches. The discussion explored major legislative news, including t...

Major updates include strict new eligibility verification requirements for the Federal Employees Health Benefits Program, set to begin July 1, and a looming audit to remove ineligible dependents. Rising health insurance premiums are straining both active and retired employees, with many survivors now facing “negative net annuities,” in which pension payments don’t cover health insurance premiums....

The conversation focused on key updates affecting federal employees and retirees during the week of June 7–13, 2026. One concept discussed was the accelerated depletion date for the Social Security Trust Fund, now projected for 2032, which could trigger 22–28% benefit cuts if Congress fails to act. A key theme that emerged was the implementation of the Social Security Fairness Act, which fully rep...

This episode of The FED Weekly covers major developments impacting federal employees and retirees for the week of February 8-14, 2026. Key topics include the partial shutdown of the Department of Homeland Security after Congress failed to pass a funding bill, which left essential staff unpaid and sparked a major union lawsuit. The episode also reports on the end of a ban on federal workforce reduc...

This episode of The FED Weekly delivers comprehensive updates for federal employees and retirees for the week of May 24-30, 2026. We report exceptional growth in the Thrift Savings Plan (TSP), led by the International I Fund, but caution that retirees may not see the expected tax reductions. A major Supreme Court decision in Margollin v. National Association of Immigration Judges restricts federal...

The conversation focused on key legislative, regulatory, and operational developments affecting federal employees and retirees for the week of May 17–23, 2026. Several points were raised, including congressional efforts to address tax burdens associated with retroactive lump-sum payments and proposals to reform Social Security taxation. The discussion explored ongoing debates about pension taxatio...

We deliver the latest updates affecting federal employees and retirees for the week of 10-16 May 2026. The Senate approved a rule to withhold Senators’ pay during future shutdowns, echoing concerns about the disconnect between lawmakers and affected federal workers. Ongoing shutdowns caused a significant backlog in retirement claims. A new TIGTA report highlighted rising federal employee tax delin...

In this episode, we cover the latest developments impacting federal employees and retirees for the week of May 3–9, 2026. The episode spotlights Public Service Recognition Week, overshadowed by controversy over the Office of Personnel Management’s (OPM) new data policy requiring insurance carriers to submit unredacted medical records, raising privacy and HIPAA concerns from lawmakers and advocacy...

Here is the weekly briefing for federal employees and retirees, covering April 26 to May 2, 2026. TSP portfolios rebounded in April after a tough start to the year, with the C Fund leading gains. The House Committee on Oversight advanced nine anti-fraud bills, targeting $186 billion in improper payments reported in 2025. A new report highlighted workforce reform costs and declining federal employe...